MLS boss speaks on Thomas Müller’s recruitment: “There are over 200,000 Germans in Vancouver.” | OneFootball

Bundesliga legend Thomas Müller’s recent switch to the Vancouver Whitecaps – as many suspected – had much to do with the recruitment efforts of a German administrator. Former Schalke and Mainz executive Axel Schuster runs the front office at the Canadian MLS outfit. Schuster revealed how he convinced Müller to move to British Columbia in a recent Sky interview.

“I had a bit of an advantage in that I probably know Thomas better than any other sporting director in our league,” Schuster – as quoted by transfermarkt.de said. “Above all, I had the opportunity to read and listen to all his interviews over many years. That gave me a feel for what interests him and what he really cares about.“

Schuster also spoke on the sporting allure of the Canadian franchise, which has made the MLS playoffs three years in a row. Such prospects surely helped sway Müller’s decision. The 35-year-old can certainly serve as the missing piece of the puzzle. That nevertheless wasn’t the most interesting aspect Schuster touched upon.

Why did Müller opt for Vancouver when more glamorous destinations such as Los Angeles were beckoning? Perhaps because sprawl, smog, and traffic render LA less of a lovely place to live after all. Or, as Schuster noted, Müller had a chance to ingratiate himself with a large German community in the Vancouver metro area.

Schuster spoke of Son Heung-min’s chance to prove a local hero among LA’s large South Korean community. The 53-year-old also references Lionel Messi’s Miami reach, as well as the influence of New York Red Bulls’ teammates Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Emil Forsberg.

“There are over 200,000 Germans living in Vancouver,” Schuster said. “Thomas will have just as much of an impact here as Son in LA, as Forsberg and Choupo-Moting in New York. Messi, of course, is an entirely different level.“

GGFN | Peter Weis